March Discoveries: Handpicked New Releases & Treats
Thousands of great new songs are being released each day as we speak & we are lucky enough to live in such times, where almost all of it is available to us, literally at the tip of our fingers. To offer some sort of navigation through the overwhelming amount of tunes, I’ve decided to take the time to reflect & appreciate, take a look back to what’s been put out there over the past month. By the means of a selection of fresh releases, well-curated mixtapes and special treats, here goes the monthly musical wrap-up. Your dose of fresh grooves, whether it’s new releases by heavy-hitters of the game / new artists on the radar, or wholesome mixes / DJ sets / radio shows / podcasts.
The initial kick of spring makes March a very special month, as it marks the beginning of spring and a new season of life in nature. It seems to make a lot of sense for a year to begin along with the season of new life. Originally it was the very first month of the Roman calendar. March also symbolizes some sort of reignition of the hearts and consciousness of humankind that concentrates mainly in explosive expression, which leads us right back to monthly discoveries from the world of newly released music. The Discoveries playlist is now refreshed with all of the tunes that deserve your attention for various reasons, in my opinion.
Long story short, this month, I’ve been blown away with multiple sounds. Obviously, aside from the Bruno / .Paak ‘Silk Sonic’ project that completely took the World by storm, Menahan Street Bands new release totally rocked my world, Tall Black Guys ‘Airplane Mode’ has been a lifesaver and so was ‘Notes With Attachments’ by Pino Palladino and Blake Mills. Blue Lab Beats first single from their upcoming EP ‘We Will Rise’ dropped and on ‘Get Sun’ Hiatus Kaiyote blew us all away with their new single with Brazilian legend Arthur Verocai.
I was also really feelin’ the first glimpse of Nick Hakim & Roy Nathanson’s upcoming record, so I went in on it over here. 25th of March would have been The Almighty Queen of Souls 79th Birthday, so I celebrated Ms. Aretha Franklin by reflecting on the countless occasions her music has lifted our spirits in this little write-up. I’ve also dropped a few lines at the occasion of Gang Starr’s ‘Hard To Earn’ album anniversary and celebrated 45 years of Marvin Gaye’s key album ‘I Want You’ in this re-visit.
Aron Hodek’s debut single must be the most beautifully uplifting track out there and the visuals are absolutely on point.
And Gaidaa’s COLORS encore track ‘Let Me’ has been the mightiest cherry on top of all of my adventures in the land of March’s music.
That being said, feel free to go ahead and get your flavor of the month in the Discoveries playlist with all of the above & then some.
IN THE MIX
It’s only fair to say that well-put-together sets play a critical role in making sense of the music that’s available out there. Finding connections between the present and the past, taking us on a journey through the known & unknown, often offering a brand new perspective and inspiration. Connecting the dots. This month there have been a couple of new ones that stuck with me. Kick back, listen & enjoy.
SPECIAL TREAT
On top of all that, this month, Questlove uploaded all of his sets from the past year to Mixcloud, launched a Masterclass, where he shares knowledge of the craft of music curation and DJing. Also he shared a playlist with 100 Essential Songs You Should Know so, you know, that’s also something you might enjoy looking into.
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Feel free to share the love & hit me up with what’s been catching your ears these days. I’m always on the look-out for music and would love to hear from you.